I pricked my finger and it's swelling.?

Question

OK I was at a friends house and I pricked my finger on something and now there is a red dot that could be blood under the skin and my finger is swollen and a little itchy at times. What should I do?

Answer 1

The red dot shows where you pricked it. It's just a little wound. You can ice it for the swelling. The itching could be because of the swelling, or because the prick is healing (wounds itch when they heal). If it's really bothering you, put some neosporin on it (it has an analgesic in it, so that should numb the discomfort) and stick a band-aid on it.

I disagree with the first answer saying it could be infected; signs of infection are more redness and swelling than there should be, heat, pus, a foul smell, and red lines extending away from the wound. Just some swelling by itself is an indication of nothing more than your immune system's inflammatory response and does not mean you have an infection.

Answer 2

It might be infected.  Try cleaning it out well with antibacterial lotion. If it continues to swell or itch you should see a doctor, you might need antibiotics.  Also, have you had a tetanus shot in the past ten years?